A Turn of Seasons: A Full Metal Panic! Story
by trekkiexb5
Summary: She put everything behind her, Whispered, Mithril, and Japan to find a new beginning in America. He was trying to repair the damage to his life and further his career. What wasn't explained is how they met in a tiny college in Michigan, years later.
1. Default Chapter

"A Turn of Seasons"

A Full Metal Panic! Story

by Trekkiexb5

Category: Drama, Romance

Couples: SSxKC, KWxMM

Rating: R for language, lime and stupid college stunts.

Posting:  I'm posting at fanfiction.net and at blissfulignorance.com, but anyone can post it, as long as my name stays attached.  AND you write me and tell me how bad (or good) it was.

Summary:  She put everything behind her, Whispered, Mitheral, and Japan to find a new beginning in America.  He was trying to repair the damage to his life and further his career.  What wasn't explained is how they met in a tiny college in Michigan, years later.

Full Metal Panic! Isn't mine.  If it was, the screw-ups in military ranking system would be non-existent and British sub captains would have British accents.

Author's notes: 

I never have notes.  I rant.

As much as I love this series, I feel that it is rushing, like it is missing something.  I have never felt this with any other series.  Then again, I have only seen four DVDs worth of this series at the time of this writing.

Because of all of the above, I can't write the story that I really want to write.

So I'm writing this.

My anal-retentiveness will make me rewrite it when I learn more of the character's backgrounds. sigh.

Why not right after the series?  Well, I feel I can't write a story like that due to (1) haven't seen how the series ends, but read it, (2) anal-retentive me will want to see season two first (and read all the manga), and (3) The Black Rose used her awesome mental powers and sucked my idea out of my head and called it "Dinner and Dessert!"  How she could do that BEFORE I had even HEARD of the series is beyond me!  Watch out for her!  g

So enjoy- no real plot here, unlike some stories...Damn 'Sea of Stars!'  Anyways, nothing is really mapped out yet; I'll let you know when that changes.

FYI--The town and college are fictional.  Michigan isn't, as much as I try to convince people.  Hey!  I can say that!  I'm a GANder!

***

NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

*****Tame as a lamb.  Sorry.**

"A Turn of Seasons"

Chapter 1

_It's Just a Coincidence_

Bill won't leave me alone.  He's been stalking me all day, telling me how much I would miss him if I carried through with my break-up with him.

As if I would miss that lunkhead linebacker, anyways?  What was I thinking, dating him?

He followed me out of the dorms, to the campus bookstore then back to the dorms, and now following me all over the tiny town of Bethanyshire, Michigan.

I crossed the street to the little historical main street (oddly, called Main Street), trying to shake the man.  I swear, if I get to the police station/City hall before I lose him, I'm gonna report him.

Then again, who would they believe?  The weird blue-haired foreign student or Bethanyshire College's star linebacker?  As I learned last year, this IS the mid-west farm belt.  They are still reporting Elvis sightings in fast food restaurants.

I turned the corner and spotted a cafe/used bookstore nestled on Main Street.  I usually avoid these stores.  They are so cliché in college towns.  But this time...  I quickly ducked inside, hoping he didn't see me go in when he turned the corner.

No such luck.  Note to self, when being harassed by ex-boyfriends, wear tennis shoes, not fashionable clunky sandals.  

I weaved past the tables that were filled with students and teachers in the storefront and headed towards the dusty shelves overloaded with smelly books of all sorts.  My plan was weave back and forth between the shelves and double back to the front and make my escape.

The man has sharp eyes, damnit! I ran blindly through the store, ducking into an aisle.

"Kan-e!"

God, I HATED that nickname!

I turned to face him, backing into another row.  "God damnit!  What part of 'no' don't you understand?"  I turned to sprint, but I tripped over something and someone.

In my haste to rid myself of my beefy ex-boyfriend, I didn't notice the person sitting in the aisle on the floor.  "Excuse me," I mumbled, barely stopping falling on my arse by catching the shelves that felt like they haven't been dusted since the Meiji Era.

"You know ya would miss me, Kan-e," He sneered.  I turned to face him again, backing up to the dead end this row of shelves were.  Way to go, Kaname!  " I'm the best you ever get, babe. I can be compared to none."

How in the hell can that ego fit in his rock head?  "Compared to what, Bill?  The only thing I would compare you to is a pig.  And that's insulting the pig.  The only thing I'll miss from our relationship is the fact I'll won't have to use a softball bat to keep a man out of my pants.  Now leave me alone, Bill!"

Of course, that only encouraged him.  I should know better by now.  He stepped closer to me and reached out to grab me.  "Come on babe!  You'll ...eeerrrk!"

The (wonderful) choking sound that came from Bill was the result of the male, the one I tripped over, wrapping his hands around Bill's neck and forcing him against the shelf.  A rain of books and dust fell around them, creating a cloud that was obscuring my view of Bill being strangled.  Pity.

"I believe the lady said no and had asked you to leave her presence.  Can you follow her wishes or do you need some help on the subject?"  His English was smooth and almost without an accent.

Although I couldn't see, I heard Bill erked something.

The stranger said, "Good, now leave the premises."

"I'll get you, you little skinny punk, and the blue-haired bitch, too!  Just you wait!"  You know I would be more effective as a threat, if he didn't sound like he swallowed a couple of rocks.  It was a nice thought.

"I look forward to that confrontation."

The voice sounded familiar.  Maybe he was in one of my classes from last year.

"Is there a problem, young man?"  The dust was finally settling, and I could see an elderly woman, perhaps the owner at the entrance of the aisle, hands on hips.  The tall man had turned talk to her.

"There is no problem, ma'am.  That man bumped into the shelf in his haste to leave and knocked over some books.  I will clean them up."

"Oh! Thank you," the lady answered, obviously overwhelmed and not expecting that answer.  She left to the front of the labyrinth store, leaving the man and me alone.

I bent down to assist him with the cleanup.  After all, he did help me.  "I'm sorry about that.  He's a little thick, I'm afraid."

The man said nothing.  In fact, my view of his shoes showed he didn't even move.  Well, I'm not cleaning it up all by myself!  There are a lot of books that were knock...

"Kaname?  Is that you, Miss Kaname Chidori?"

It took a moment to register that it was spoken in Japanese.  Surprised, I stood up, the books in my arms falling back on the floor.  The recognition of his voice hit me.  I finally looked at him, really looked at him, it all came clear.

Dark-skinned Middle-East look?  Check.

Brown hair that would never lie down?  Check.

Scar on chin?  Check.

Grey/brown eyes?  Check.

Great body?  ...  I erased that from my mental checklist and added "Drop-Dead gorgeous?"  Check, check and two pluses.

Of all the people and all the places, I would meet him in a small college town in west Michigan.  And if there were any doubts, he opened his mouth and confirmed my suspicions.

"Seriously, Kaname, It's REALLY a coincidence."

Sousake Sagara.

******

R&R pleez!!!!


	2. reawaking emotions

"A Turn of Seasons"

A Full Metal Panic! Story

by Trekkiexb5

Category: Drama, Romance

Couples: SSxKC, KWxMM

Rating: R for language, lime and stupid college stunts.  There will be some **Lemon stuff** later.  If you care!

Posting:  I'm posting at fanfiction.net and at blissfulignorance.com, but anyone can post it, as long as my name stays attached.  AND you write me and tell me how bad (or good) it was.

Summary:  She put everything behind her, Whispered, Mithril, and Japan to find a new beginning in America.  He was trying to repair the damage to his life and further his career.  What wasn't explained is how they met in a tiny college in Michigan, years later.

Full Metal Panic! Isn't mine.  If it was, the screw-ups in military ranking system would be non-existent and British sub captains would have British accents.

Author's notes: 

I never have notes.  I rant.

A little TOO much, to my dismay.  So to all of those who (That is, on the FMP! site) have patience with me, thank you.  author bows deeply I got a little on the preachy side, something I HATE, and I apologize.  Thank you for your understanding.  grovels pitifully I'M SO SOOOORRRRYYYY!!!!!

For those who don't know, I got into a fight over the ethnicity of Sousake.  I had valid points to have him being Afghani, but was told I was wrong, that he is Japanese.  I threw a fit, but everyone seems to be patient with me about it.  For the record; the creator of the anime decided to have a Japanese hero.  But his background suggests Afghani.  I'm making a compromise.  My Sousake will be Afghani/Japanese in ethnicity.  

Why all the fuss?  I try to be accurate as possible, without going off canon.  I cannot do that in this case.  Sorry to all offended.

FYI--The town and college are fictional.  Michigan isn't, as much as I try to convince people.  Hey!  I can say that!  I'm a GANder!

***

NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

*****Tame as a lamb.  Sorry.**

"A Turn of Seasons"

Chapter 2

_Reawakening Emotions._

I never thought I would meet her ever again.  Especially here, in the states.  She had shut herself off from everybody, including her best friend and abruptly left Japan.  When Shinji e-mailed me with the news, I grabbed the first flight to Japan, fearing her capture or worse.

No one had answers, even Kyouko and Mizuki knew nothing of her whereabouts.  Her family, now residing in Japan, wouldn't talk_. _ Only a call from Sgt.Major Mao informing me that she was safe and attending college in the United States reassured me.

I waited by the computer, checking my e-mail every half hour.  I was in constant communication with Shinji and Kyouko.  We all three waited, and waited. 

But she never wrote, never called.

It hurt.  It hurt more than I ever thought it could.  I thought it was my fault, that I had offended her in some way (well, more than the usual), but Kyouko assured me that she spoke very highly of me. But I wasn't so sure. Kaname's disappearance became the catalyst to my own problems that eventually brought me to this college.

And to this bookstore.

It REALLY was a concinidence.  

Thank you Allah, God, Buddha, Fate, whomever.

She just stared at me, with this surprised look on her face.  "Miss Ch...Kaname?"  I asked, catching myself from falling on old patterns.

She shook her head, a shower of dust that painted her hair a gray flew from the strands.  "Sousake?"

I smiled, trying to reassure her.  And to reassure myself, for I thought she was an apparition.  "Yes, it is."

"How...?"  She shook her head again.  Then she smiled.  I was relieved.  I was wondering if she was going to start throwing things at me.  Then to my amazement, he stepped forward and hugged me.  "Never mind that!" She said to my chest.  "It's so good to see you!"

She's hugging me.  I very carefully wrapped my arms around her waist and gave her a squeeze.  She took a half step back but kept her arms around my middle.  So I left my hands at her waist.  I hope it was appropriate.

"Really, It's good to see you!  You look terrific!"  She said with a brilliant smile on her face.

"Ahhh...You look quite well yourself, Miss...Kaname."  She looked beautiful, actually.  She had what looked like some very uncomfortable footwear on, a pair of jean shorts, a tank top and a zip-up sweatshirt with the college emblem on it.  Her hair, still looked gray from the dust, was pulled back in a messy braid and had a pair of sunglasses perched on top.  In her hand was her backpack.  She had to be the most gorgeous person on the planet.

There was an awkward silence that followed my comment.  I was so unsure what to say next.  Suddenly, a noise emanated from her stomach.  A moment later, it was echoed by mine.  We both looked sheepishly at each other clutching our middles.

Then we laughed.

"It seems you are hungry.  If you would like, to me for a late lunch, after a paying for my purchases?  It would be my treat."  I jumped at this, now that the tension seemed to leave us.  I didn't want to leave her presence just yet.

She smiled and nodded.  "I would love to, Sousake."

We quickly made short work of the pile, and then she followed me to cash register to pay for the books.  I held the door open for her.  "Where are you parked?"

She blushed.  "I walked.  I don't have a car."

I looked at her.  "From campus?"  She again nodded, blushing harder.  In those shoes?  The campus is three miles from here.  There was something odd going on, like she wasn't telling me everything, put I couldn't put my finger on it.  Mentally shaking my head and berating myself for been too suspicious, I replied, "Then, we will use my car."

She nodded but didn't say anything.  There was something...  No!  I will not ruin this meeting with my questions and speculation.  It could be nothing.  Maybe, she didn't want a car or felt like walking every where or...  I told myself to shut up.

My car, a blue 2000 Cavalier (used with 40,000 miles) was parked on the corner of the block.  I opened the passenger door for her. She thanked me and got in.  After stowing my backpack and store bag of books in the back seat, I got in the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Where would you like to eat, Kaname?"  I asked her as I pulled onto the street.

"You're treating, you pick," She answered me smiling.

I was going to argue that she should be the one but I though better of it.  I loose just about every argument I ever had with her.  Besides, I didn't want this first meeting to be spoiled by a fight.  "Italian?"  I asked, knowing she liked it.

She grinned.  "Great choice!"

"Uhhhh...I am not too familiar with the area, yet," Liar, Sousake!  "Do you know of a good restaurant?  Don't worry about the price."  Anything for you.

As she rattled off a place and started to guide me through the streets, I suddenly realized what was happening to me.

I fought my emotions the first time I was with her.  I told myself, you have a duty, a job to protect her.  But it happened.  I didn't really act on them, but it happened.  She was tough enough, openhearted enough, and kind enough to put up with me.  And I must have been the worst.

When I left, I wasn't sure how to react, so I kept the friendship going.  She deserves better, I thought.  She deserves better than a soldier with no personality.  

Now, years later and far calmer and (I think) wiser than I was in Japan, It was happening again and there was no duty to hide behind.  I knew I couldn't stop it.  I didn't want to. 

I was falling for her all over again.  

******

R&R pleez!!!!


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